4 These persons for my life laid down their own neck; to whom not I only give thanks, but even all the churches of the Gentiles.

5 Likewise SALUTE the church which is in their house. Salute Epænetus my beloved, who is the first fruit of Achaia3 in Christ.

6 Salute Mary, who laboured much (s, 149.) with us.'

7 Salute Andronicus and Junias' my kinsmen and my fellow-prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, and who were in Christ before me.

8 Salute Amplias' my beloved in the Lord.

9 Salute Urbanus our fellow-labourer in Christ, and Stachys my beloved.

10 Salute Apelles the approved in Christ.' Salute those who are of the FAMILY of Aristobulus.2

11 Salute Herodion my kinsman. Salute those of the FAMILY of Narcissus who are in the Lord.

12 Salute Tryphæna and Tryphosa,' who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, who laboured much in the Lord.

13 Salute Rufus, the chosen in the Lord, and her WHO is the mother both of him and of me.

ROMANS.

135

death; to whom therefore, not I only am thankful, but even all the
4 These excellent persons to save my life exposed themselves to
churches of the Gentiles, who consider themselves as indebted to
them, for preserving the life of their apostle and spiritual father.
their house.
5 Likewise, wish health to the members of the church which is in
Salute Epænetus, whom I dearly love because he is
the first person I converted in the province of Achaia.
6 Salute Mary, who underwent great fatigue in spreading the
gospel along with us.

7 Salute Andronicus and Junias my kinsmen, and formerly priamong the apostles on account of their talents and virtues, and who soners with me for the sake of Christ, who are in high estimation were in the church of Christ before me.

8 Salute Amplias, whom I dearly love on account of his sincere attachment to Christ.

9 Salute Urbanus, who assisted me in preaching Christ; and Stachys, whom I sincerely love on account of the goodness of his disposition. approved himself a firm Christian. 10 Salute Apelles, who, by sustaining many persecutions, hath Salute the brethren who are of the family of Aristobulus. 11 Salute in my name, Herodion my kinsman. members of the family of Narcissus who are converted to ChrisSalute those tianity.

selves in maintaining the cause of Christ at Rome. Salute Persis, 12 Salute Tryphæna and Tryphosa, women who employ themthe beloved of all who know her, and who hath laboured much in promoting the cause of Christ.

13 Salute Rufus, who is a most excellent Christian; and do the same to her who is his mother, and, because of her affection to me, my mother also.

Hermes, and the brethren in their families.
14 In my name salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas,

This

14 Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas,' Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren with them. Ver. 4. These persons for my life laid down their own neck. is said, in allusion to the custom of placing on blocks the necks of criminals whose heads are to be cut off. The expression is proverbial, and denotes the undergoing the greatest perils. It is thought the apostle alluded to some great danger, to which Aquila and Priscilla exposed themselves in defending him from the Jews, in the tumult which they raised at Corinth during the proconsulship of Gallio, Acts xviii.12.

Ver. 5.-1. Likewise salute the church which is in their house.]As Aquila and Priscilla were the apostle's fellow-helpers, and as they expounded the way of God more perfectly to Apollos, Acts xviii. 26. we may suppose that such of the disciples as were not far advanced in knowledge, resorted to them for instruction; and that assemblies were held in their house on the first day of the week for the worship of God. These are what the apostle calls the church in their house. Or the expression may signify, that all the members of their family were Christians. For Origen tells us, when a whole family was converted, the salutation was sent to the church' in such a house; but when a part of a family only was converted, the salutation was directed to those in the family who were in the Lord,' ver. 11. or to the brethren with them,' ver. 14. or 'to all the saints with them,' ver. 15.

2. Salute Epænetus my beloved.]-Theophylact observes, that it is a very great praise to any one to have been the beloved of Paul: because his love was not the effect of a blind partiality, but of a well-founded judgment of the person's worth.

3. Who is the first-fruit of Achaia.]-The Alexandrian and Clermont MSS., with the Arabic, Ethiopic, and Vulgate versions, and Origen, Chrysostom, Theodoret, with many of the Latin commentators, have as Arias, of Asia, in this place; which some suppose to be the true reading, because the apostle calls the house of Stephanas the first-fruit of Achaia,' 1 Cor. xvi. 15. But if Epænctus was one of that house, he was a part of the first-fruit of Achaia. If Asia is the true reading here, the proconsular Asia is meant.

Ver. 6. Salute Mary, who laboured much with us.]-If the common translation, who bestowed much labour on us,' is retained, the meaning is, that Mary underwent much fatigue in taking care of the apostle, while he was in some dangerous sickness. See however ver 12. note 2.

Ver. 7.-1. Salute Andronicus and Junius.]-It is doubtful whether : is the accusative of louries, or of louvia. If of the former, it is the name of a man: if of the latter, it is the name of a woman; in which case, the apostle may have joined her with Andronicus, because he was her husband, or her brother. But most commentators are of opinion, that this is the name of a man, because the apostle adds, who are of note among the apostles.

2. My kinsmen.]-The apostle styles all the Jews duy yes, kinsmen, Rom. ix. 3 It is therefore uncertain, whether he means that Andronicus and Junias were his blood relations, or only of the same nation with himself.

3. And my fellow-prisoners.]-At the time this letter was written, Paul had been in prisons often, 2 Cor. xi. 23. On some of these occasions, the persons here named had been imprisoned with him; but where or when that happened, is not known.

4. Who are of note among the apostles.]-The name apostle was

sometimes given to ministers of the word who were of an order in-
ferior to the twelve, but who were sent forth on some particular ser-
vice, 2 Cor. viii. 23. 2 Cor. xi. 13. Rev. ii. 2. In this sense, Barnabas is
called an apostle, Acts xiv. 14.
by the apostle. See Bengelius's opinion, 1 Cor. xv. 6. note 2.
been of note among the apostles of this inferior order. Or the mean-
Andronicus and Junias may have
ing may be, as in the commentary, that they were highly esteemed

5. And who were in Christ before me.]-The word Christ is often
Christ, which is his body. From Andronicus and Junias being Chris-
used by Paul, to denote the religion of Christ, and the church of
tians before Paul, joined with their being of note among the apostles,
ples. Yet that is uncertain.
Origen infers, that they were of the number of the seventy disci

Ver. 8. Salute Amplias.]-Some MSS., and the Vulgate version, have here Ampliatus.

Ver. 10.-1. Salute Apelles, the approved in Christ.]-Tov SoxMON Xes, the approved in Christ, or in the gospel, is one who, on being tried by affliction and persecution for the gospel, has been found a real Christian; a noble character this, and greatly to be respected. 2. Salute those who are of the family of Aristobulus.-Aristobulus himself was not saluted, either because he was not in Rome at that time, or because he was not yet converted, or perhaps because he was dead. He and Narcissus seem to have had each of them a numerous family of slaves and others, some of whom were Christians, and the fame of whose virtues had reached the apostle.

Ver. 11. Salute those of the family of Narcissus who are in the Lord. Many think this was the famous Narcissus, the freed-man and favourite of the emperor Claudius. But this epistle being written, A.D. 57, Narcissus the emperor's favourite was then dead. For Tacitus, Annal. lib. xiii. 1. and Dio, lib. Ix. fine, informs us, that he died in the first year of the emperor Nero, answering to A. D. 54. However, as the salutation is not sent to Narcissus, but to the Christians of his family, it may have subsisted after his death.

Ver. 12. Salute Tryphæna and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord.] -Txs xmas being in the feminine gender, the persons here said 'to labour in the Lord' were probably female presbyters or deacons, who employed themselves at Rome in propagating the gospel; as was Persis likewise, who in the next clause is said to 'have laboured much in the Lord.' And as Mary is said, ver. 6. to 'have laboured much' with the apostle, she also may have exercised one or other of these offices in some of the great cities of Asia or Greece, where the apostle preached, and by her zealous services, especially among her own sex, may have been of use to the apostle and his assistants, while preaching the gospel.

Ver. 13.-1. Salute Rufus.-There is mention made of 'Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus,' Mark xv. 21. And many are of opinion that that Rufus is the person whom the apostle here salutes. But others think them different, because, from the circumstance of Rufus's mother being with him in Rome, it is conjectured that he was a native of Rome; whereas the Rufus mentioned by Mark was of Cyrene. Yet, as the apostle calls the mother of Rufus his mother, on account of the many good offices he received from her, he, who never was in Rome, must have received them elsewhere; consequently she had not always resided in Rome, but may have come there lately with her son.

L

15 Salute Philologus, and Julia,' Nereus, and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who ARE with them.

16 Salute one another with an holy kiss.' The churches of Christ salute you.2

17 (4) Now I beseech you, brethren, mark' them who make separations and occasions of falling contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.4

2

18 For they who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words,' and blessings,2 deceive the hearts of the innocent.3

19 Now your obedience' is reported to all men. I therefore rejoice on your account; nevertheless I wish you indeed to be wise (us, 142.) with respect to good, and pure2 with respect to evil.

20 And the God of peace will bruise Satan under your feet soon. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ BE with you.2 Amen.

ROMANS.

Спаг. XVI.

ter, and Olympas, and all the Christians who are in their families. 15 In my name salute Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sis

16 To shew that Christian affection which ye bear to each other, salute one another with a chaste kiss. The churches of Christ at Corinth and Cenchrea, and in all the province of Achaia, salute you.

17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them who set up separate assemblies for worship, and who occasion the weak to fall by false doctrine, or by enjoining things indifferent as necessary, contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned from me in this epistle, and avoid them.

18 For such teachers, whatever they may pretend, do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own lusts; and by plausible discourse and hypocritical wishes of happiness, they draw away the af fections of the innocent, who have no suspicion of their wickedness. reported through the whole empire: I therefore rejoice on your ac19 Now your obedience, in turning from idols to the true God, is count. Nevertheless, I wish you to be wise with respect to good, so as to discern and practise it habitually, and to be pure with respect to evil, by avoiding all false doctrines and wicked actions.

you by bruising Satan under your feet soon: I mean the unbeliev 20 And God, who is the author of peace, will produce peace among ing Jews and Judaizing teachers, who make divisions among you. Rufus was a The favour of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. See Prelim. admit none into their communion but such as joined them in their peculiarities, and who represented all others as erroneous and im. pious. This they did, from no regard to the Lord Jesus, but to enrich themselves, and to live in sensual pleasure, ver. 18.; for by making themselves the heads of these schismatical assemblies, they drew a plentiful maintenance from their followers, whereby they enriched themselves, and gratified their lusts. See Philip. iii. 19. 3. Contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned;-namely, from me in this epistle. Or, many of the Roman brethren may have heard the apostles, and other inspired men, preach in Judea and elsewhere, from whom they learned the genuine doctrines of the gospel. According to this interpretation, the apostle, as Estius observes, insinuates here, that even the common people, by the help of general principles, may discern true doctrine from that which is false.

2. Chosen in the Lord.]-This epithet implies, that
Christian eminent for his faith, and piety, and virtue.
Ess. iv. 41.
Ver. 14. Salute Hermas.]-According to the general opinion of
the fathers, (Euseb. Ecc. Hist. lib. 3.), this is the author of the an-
cient writing called Pastor or Shepherd, quoted by Irenæus, Cle-
ment of Alexandria, Origen, Tertullian, and others; and which
still remains. Of the other persons mentioned in this verse, we
know nothing. This however we know, that their being saluted of
the apostle by name, was a testimony of his respect, and of the
worthiness of their character.

Ver. 15.-1. Salute Philologus and Julia. The same doubt oc-
curs concerning lovλav as concerning louvy, ver. 7. Origen
took it for the name of a woman, and supposed her to be Philolo-
gus's wife.

2. And Olympas.]-The circumflex accent on the last syllable of OXUμν, shews that they who added the accents to the Greek Testament thought it the name of a man; on this supposition, the nominative is Ολυμπας.

Ver. 16.-1. Salute one another with an holy kiss.-The Jews considered the kiss as an expression of friendship. Thus Joab, pretending great friendship to Amasa, took him by the beard to kiss him, when he slew him, 2 Sam. xx. 9. Our Lord says to Simeon, Luke vii. 45. 'Thou hast given me no kiss,' meaning that he had not expressed such affection to him, as the woman had done who kissed his feet. Judas also kissed our Lord, pretending friendship to him at the time he betrayed him. This manner of expressing friendship to each other, the disciples of Christ adopted and practised in their religious assemblies. So Justin Martyr informs us, in his account of the religious assemblies of the Christians, Apolog. 'Prayers being ended, we salute one another with a kiss, and then the bread and cup is brought to the president,' &c. This was called the holy kiss, to distinguish it from a lustful kiss; and the kiss of love, 1 Pet. v. 14. to distinguish it from the treacherous kiss of Joab and Judas; being given as an expression of that sincere, chaste, spiritual love, which Christians owed to one another. On the occasions mentioned by Justin, the men and women did not kiss each other promiscuously; the men saluted the men only, and the women kissed none but their own sex; as may be known from their manner of sitting in the pub. lic assemblies, described, Apos. Constit. lib. ii. c. 57. Es To STEEV μegos, οι λαικοί καθέζεσθωσαν μετα πάσης ησυχίας, και ευταξίας και οι γυναίκες κεχωρισμένος και αυται καθέζεσθωσαν, σιωπην άγουσαι; On the other side, let the laics sit with all silence and good order; and the women, let them sit also separately, keeping silence.' Then, after a long description of the worship, the author adds, ET* **i ασπαζίστωσαν αλλήλους δε ανδρες, και αλλήλως οι γυναίκες, το εν 'Then let the men salute one another, and the women one another, giving the kiss in the Lord.' Through length of time, and difference of manners, the method of sitting in the public assemblies for worship hath been changed. But that it was the ancient method cannot be doubted, being derived from the synagogue.

2. The churches of Christ salute you.]-Paul wrote this epistle from Corinth, the chief city of Achaia; a province in which there were Christian churches, at Corinth, at Cenchreæ, and perhaps in different cities of Peloponnesus. Wherefore, the churches of Christ who sent their salutation to the brethren at Rome, were all the churches in the province of Achaia.

Ver. 17.-1. Now I beseech you, brethren, mark. The word ex signifies to observe attentively and diligently, as they do who are placed in a watch-tower to observe the motions of their enemies. The purpose for which the brethren were to mark the persons described, is mentioned in the next clause of the verse.

2. Them who make (ras xoras) separations and occasions of falling. Travda. See Rom. xiv. 21. note. The apostle had in his eye the Jewish teachers, who in many churches set up sepa rate assemblies for the worship of God, (see Jude, ver. 19.), on pretence of greater orthodoxy and sanctity than others, and who would

4. And avoid them.)-It is worthy of notice, that the apostle desires the faithful to mark them who cause divisions, not for the purpose of disputing with them, and far less for the purpose of apprehending and punishing them with fines, imprisonment, torture, and death; but that they might avoid their company, lest by conversing familiarly with such, they might have been infected with their errors and vices. For, as the apostle told Timothy, 2 Epist. ii. 17. 'their word will eat as doth a gangrene.'

Ver. 18.-1. And by good words.-Xensoλoys comes from xenso whom he speaks, much more than his own; in short, one who Aoys, which signifies one who promises much, but performs nothing; one who professes to regard the interest of the person to fawns and flatters, without possessing any real benevolence. Thus the Emperor Pertinax was called Christologus, because, as Aurelius Victor elegantly expresses it, Blandus esset, magis quam benignus.' 2. And blessings.)-Euxy, benedictio, fausta imprecatio. The false teachers, to gain the affection of their disciples, prayed with great seeming earnestness for all manner of blessings to them.

3. They deceive the hearts of the innocent.-Axxxv. This word
denotes persons entirely free from guile; persons upright and un-
suspicious, but who have not prudence sufficient to enable them to
discern and avoid the snares which the wicked lay in their way.

ly, your obedience hath come to all, that is, the fame of your
Ver. 19.-1. Now your obedience is reported to all men ;)-literal-
obedience hath come. For that such a number of the inhabitants
of the metropolis of the Roman empire had forsaken the worship
of idols, must have been much spoken of through all the provinces.
2. I wish indeed to be wise, &c.]-The apostle's argument is this:
Since ye have shewn such prudence and discernment in receiving
the gospel, ye should shew like prudence and discernment in your
behaviour under the gospel, by doing every thing that is good, and
by preserving yourselves unpolluted with evil.

Ver. 20.-1. And the God of peace will bruise Satan under your
feet soon.]-The Hebrew word Satan signifies an enemy. But be-
cause the chief of the evil spirits in rebellion against God is the
greatest enemy of mankind, the name is appropriated to him. Here
it is given to the unbelieving Jews, and also to the Judaizing teach
ers and their adherents, who, for selfish purposes, bred divisions at
Rome, ver. 17. and in every church where they could obtain a foot.
ing; they are therefore called 'ministers of Satan,' 2 Cor. xi. 15.
The speedy destruction of these false teachers, who occasioned di-
visions in the church, the apostle foretold, by assuring the Romans
that 'the God of peace would bruise Satan under their feet soon;'
I suppose, in allusion to the bruising of the head of the serpent, un-
der the heel of the seed of the woman. See the Illustration prefix-
ed to chap. xi. p. 112.

2. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.]-The apos-
tle, entertaining the warmest affection towards the faithful in Rome,
gave them his apostolical Christian benediction, both here and ver.
24. to shew them how much his heart overflowed with love to them.
But in the Syriac version it is omitted at the 21th verse, and added
at the end of the epistle.

3

21 Timothy my fellow-labourer,' and Lucius,2 and Jason, and Sosipater,' my kinsmen, salute you.

22 I Tertius,' who wrote (Tv, 71.) this letter, salute you in the Lord.

23 Caius mine host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus the chamber lain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus YOUR brother."

24 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ BE with you all. Amen.

25 (4) Now to him who is able to stablish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, (xxr) according to the revelation of the mystery2 kept secret IN the times of the ages.3

26 (But is now made manifest, and, by the commandment of the eternal God in the prophetic writings, is made known to all the Gentiles, in order to the obedience of faith),

27 To the wise God alone,' through Jesus Christ, I SAY, to him BE the glory for ever.2 Amen.

ROMANS.

157 son, and Sosipater, my kinsmen, who are at present with me, 21 Timothy, my assistant in the ministry, and Lucius, and Jasalute

you.

22 I Tertius, who wrote this letter from the apostle's autograph, am permitted by him to salute you as the disciples of Christ. members of the church here, wishes you health. 23 Caius, with whom I lodge, and who shows hospitality to all the the chamberlain of Corinth, and Quartus, one of your own church, So doth Erastus, who at present is with me.

24 Loving you affectionately, I give you my apostolical benediction a second time. (See ver. 20.) The favour of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

faith and not by the law the Gentiles shall be saved, according to my 25 Now to him who is able to stablish you in the belief, that by gospel and the preaching concerning Jesus Christ by all the apostles, according to the revelation of the mystery to them, which, though contained in the covenant with Abraham, was kept secret in the time of the Mosaic dispensation,

the gospel; and, according to the commandment of the eternal and 26 (But is now fully published to the world, by the preaching of unchangeable God, contained in the prophetic writings of the Jews, is made known to all the Gentiles, in order to produce in them the obedience of faith),

himself, through the illumination of Jesus Christ, I say with under27 To the wise God alone, who possesses all perfection in and of standing, to him be the glory of the salvation of the world ascribed for ever. And for the truth of all that I have written, I appeal to God, by saying Amen to the whole.

Ver. 21.-1. Timothy my fellow-labourer.-Timothy was convert. ed by Paul while very young. And being chosen by him as his as sistant in the ministry, he accompanied him in all his journeys, and shared with him in all his dangers. Hence he styles him his fellow. labourer. See Pref. to 1 Tim. sect. 1.

2 And Lucius -There is a person of this name mentioned Acts xin. 1. as one of the prophets of the church at Antioch. But Lucius of Antioch being nowhere mentioned as Paul's companion in travel, Origen supposed the Lucius, who sent his salutation to the church at Rome, was Luke the evangelist, whom the apostle called Lucius, after the Roman manner, as he called Silas, Silvanus. But it is not certain that Luke was with the apostle in Corinth, when he wrote this epistle.

3. And Jason.J-He is thought by many to have been the Jason with whom the apostle lodged at Thessalonica, Acts xvii. 7.; and who, on that account, was accused to the magistrates of harbouring seditious persons.

4. And Sosipater.]-This, I suppose, is the person called Sopater of Berea, who is said to have accompanied the apostle to Asia, Acts xx. 4. He and Jason are called the apostle's kinsmen, because they were Jews.

Ver. 22. I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you.]-It seems Tertius was well known to the Roman brethren. From his name he may be supposed to have been a Roman. Others think this is Silas, because his name is of the same signification with Tertius.

Ver. 23.-1. Caius mine host.]-He is generally believed to have been Caius of Corinth, whom Paul baptized, 1 Cor. i. 14. ; and who, being a man of wealth, and of a benevolent disposition, entertained the apostle in his house at the time this epistle was written; and shewed great hospitality likewise to all the members of the church at Corinth. See 3 John, Pref. sect. 2.

2. Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you.-At Smyrna there was an officer of this kind, who is mentioned among the other magistrates of the city. Marmor. Oxon. p. 265. Miks vs: DIXOVO, Meiletus the younger steward.' In the Vulgate version, wows is translated Arcarius civitatis-the treasurer of the city. Erastus being a person of such note, his conversion and salutation must have occasioned great joy to the brethren in Rome.

3. And Quartus your brother.]-1 have supplied the word your, because to call Quartus simply a brother, was no distinction at all, unless, as soine conjecture, it imports that he was a minister of the go-pel. That Quartus was a native of Rome, or Italy, and a meinber of the church at Roine, as well as Tertius, I think probable from their names, which are evidently Latin.

Ver. 21. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.]-This is the concluding apostolical benediction, which St. Paul always wrote with his own hand, to distinguish his genuine epistles from those that were forged in his name, 2 Thess. iii. 17. But though he comonly ended his letters with that benediction, before he quitted the pen, on this occasion he added also, in his own handwriting, that grand doxology, contained ver. 25, 25, 27. in which he offers a soleinn thanksgiving to God, for the calling of the Gentiles, by the apostles preaching Christ to them, according to the revelation of that mystery made to him, and according to God's express commandment in the prophetic writings of the Jews. And as he had explained these subjects in the foregoing epistle, this doxology was placed at the conclusion of it with great propriety, and could not but be extremely acceptable to all the Gentiles.

Ver. 25.-1. Now to him who is able to stablish you, according to my gospel. J-What the apostle wished the Romans to be established m, was those essential points of doctrine which he always preached, S

and which he had inculcated in this letter; namely, the gratuitous justification of Jews and Geutiles by faith, without works of law; and in particular the justification of the Gentiles, without subjecting them to the law of Moses. These doctrines he calls his gospel, or good news, not in contradistinction to the good news of the other apostles, as Locke fancies, to the great discredit of the rest, whose doctrine was the same with Paul's, so far as it went; but in opposi tion to the doctrines taught by the Judaizers and other false teach ers, who added the law to the gospel, on pretence that the gospel was defective in rites of atonement.

2. According to the revelation of the mystery.]-The apostle calls the admission of the Gentiles to all the privileges of the church and people of God, without subjecting them to the law of Moses, a mysmysteries, it had hitherto been kept secret. See the next note, and tery, because it was a doctrine of much greater importance than any doctrine taught in the heathen mysteries; and because, like these Eph. i. 9. note.

3. Which hath been kept secret in the times of the ages ;]-that is, during the dispensation of the law of Moses, which, as Locke observes, is called, the age, Luke i. 70. Acts iii. 22.; and xoves

vic,2 Tim. 1. 9.Tit.i.2. ; and in this verse zevors vis, because, under the law, time was measured by ves, ages or jubilees. Hence God is called 'the Rock of Ages,' in the same sense that he is called 'the Rock of Israel.' He was the strength and support of the people who lived under the ages, or Mosaic dispensation. Farther, the same author observes, that the reception of the Gentiles into the visible church of God could not be called a mystery or secret, till there was a church erected, consisting of Abraham and his posterity, into which they could be received. For till then there were no such names of distinction known among mankind as Jew and Gentile, to denote those who were in or out of the visible church. Hence the propriety of the expression, 'kept secret in the times of the ages.' It is true, in the covenant by which God separated Abraham and his posterity from the rest of mankind, and made them his visible church and people, the calling of the nations to be the people of God was promised, under the idea of 'blessing them in Abraham's seed.' Also it was predicted by the Jewish prophets, as the apostle hath shewn in the preceding chapters. But, as not the least intimation was given, either in the covenant or by the prophets, of the condition on which the Gentiles were to be received as the people of God, it never entered into the mind of the Jews, that they could become the people of God in any other way than by circumcision and obedience to the law of Moses. Their attaining that honour, faith, is the great secret, said in this verse to be kept hid during the therefore, together with justification and eternal life, merely by times of the ages, or Mosaical dispensation; but which (ver. 26.) was made manifest to the apostles by revelation in order to be preached to all the Gentiles, according to the commandinent of the everlasting God, recorded in the writings of the Jewish prophets. Others translate zeovoLG INVIDIS σy, 'kept secret in ancient times.' But this makes no difference in the sense. Ver. 27.-1. To the wise God alone, through Jesus Christ.]-This, See Tit. i. 2. note 2. I think, is the true translation of μo, both here and in the doxologies, 1 Tim. i. 17. Jude, ver. 25. For if the translation were to run in the following manner, 'To the only wise God,' it would hand, if we render the clause thus, 'To God only wise,' the reader imply, that there are some Gods who are not wise. On the other might be apt to think, that God hath no perfection but wisdom. The translation which I have given above clearly expresses the apostle's meaning, which is, that glory ought to be ascribed to God alone in the highest degree; or, that God alone is entitled thereto in and of

Tuus endeth the apostle Paul's Epistle to the Romans; a writing, which, for sublimity and truth of sentiment, for brevity and strength of expression, for regularity in its structure, but, above all, for the unspeakable importance of the discoveries which it contains, stands unrivalled by any mere human composition, and as far exceeds the most celebrated productions of the learned Greeks and Romans, as the shining of the sun exceedeth the twinkling of the stars.

I. CORINTHIANS.